New BlackBerry Link update for Mac and Windows now available

We've been waiting to post this all day because the url to the Mac version was broken but now that that has been fixed, we can finally let you all know BlackBerry Link has been updated. On Windows, BlackBerry Link has been updated to v1.2.3.56 while on Mac it has been updated to v1.2.1.18.

Unfortunately, BlackBerry pushed this one out with a standard change log for v1.2 which simply says it has an updated, more user-friendly look and feel, support for additional languages and general performance improvements. So, with that said if you spot anything that's actually new let us know because the change log it's using is just recycled.

If it is reviewed, just remember that there are more of us Windows users than Apple users.
A walk-through or trouble-shooting guide in case some cannot get the remote file access working would be good.
Wish we could review and comment on the desktop app like we can for the apps on BlackBerry World.
Frosty white Q10/10.2.1.3247

I hate it too, but it's the only way I know to mount my phone onto my PC as external storage. Plus I make pre-Sachesi backups with it. That's all I use it for. I turned off AutoSync ages ago because I ended up with duplicate photos on my phone all the time.

My BlackBerry Technical Account Manager showed me His BlackBerry Blend. Man.. it is really awesome. It is a combination of BlackBerry Bridge (PC edition) and BlackBerry Link.
You can view your emails, contact, calendar and also BBM in your PC by pairing your BlackBerry and PC via Blue tooth. I expressed my opinion that BlackBerry Blend should be available as a free software for BlackBerry users and should be replaced by LINK.
I only installed LINK in my PC so that I can charge my Z10 when plug in to USB.

Yes, Blend should be free and available for all users. It would be great to control your phone through PC like answering calls or even have screen mirroring. Also, I hate to use Bluetooth for pairing, there should be an option to plug the device using the existing cable. I would like to see Blend as an integrated software with LINK rather than being launched in a browser.

Blend is kind of silly. I have Outlook and a Web browser on my computer, tethering your phone to your computer to view email isn't really being mobile either. I didn't think it was possible but Link is worse than DTM. You can't even sync your contacts and calendar to your computer and the backups rarely work and can't restore if using a different version. Hopefully they get some better management in the desktop software space, at least whoever made these decisions should be walked out asap. I've noticed backups are slightly faster (less slow) with the newer versions of Link at least.

If your corporate email is not accessible from Internet (behind firewall) , BlackBerry Blend will be a great tool since you can view and reply your emails using PC and you do not have to connect to corporate network.

While I'm in the office, blend isn't essential. If it's as good as it looks, I would use it instead of Gmail or Outlook. While traveling is when it will be really useful. If I want to write emails while I'm on a flight, I have to connect to wifi before hand and download my mail. With Blend, I wouldn't need to do that and can just use my laptop's screen and keyboard.

I totally agree. The worst part is that all of the above nokia suit could do 5 years ago.one would think that pc software will improve over the time no matter the platform...link is just terrible and can do nothing.only sending files over wifi is usefull

I 100% agree with bringing back the BlackBerry Protect backup option. I never want to turn on my laptop and try to use link. I think I go months at a time without backing up now that I can't do it OTA with BlackBerry Protect.
Though, head to the forum to find a fantastic walk through to get link to work with McAfee which for the life of me I could not do. Now I can actually see my files on the Z30 when connected.

Agreed. I don't know how good or bad it is on Windows, but the Mac version is horrible - it is like pre-release software, and it has had how many updates already? They fix one thing and something else breaks. *sigh*

I haven't really had anything break. Nothing has just ever worked properly. In the end, I used Sync for iTunes to sync my music (it works way better); drag and drop my videos so Link doesn't try to convert (takes forever); and keep my contacts in Gmail.

I agree. For me, outside of the availability of native apps, this is the absolute weakest part of the BlackBerry 10 experience. It almost never does anything right in my experience.

I'm in awe that such an important piece of the experience with getting the media on and off your phone (especially for novices) was so badly done and still hasn't been fixed. It's like they hired the dumbest intern in the world to work on it for an hour a month and after he'd had downed 24 beers.

I don't have any issues with link. It works the way it should. I used to have issues with it syncing stuff to my desktop but I stopped it. It's amazing I add music to my iPod then 3 mins later link is syncing to my BlackBerry. I love link

I agree with you. It’s slow as molasses to load, but then so is iTunes. Once loaded, it works quite well. I think you just need to know HOW it works and not expect it to do what it won't do. Take it for what it is. Now, having said that, I still don't think it's the greatest, but I have seen worse.

Not sure what your definition of 'slow' is...mine loads up at a decent rate on my old single core machine...and quite quick on my quad core...but like you, it runs flawlessly...the only time I have had an issue is when Windows goes off on an update and sits at the login screen...but I've been running two PC's to connect them OTA to my Z30 for months now 24/7 and never a problem...like anything I think it lies with how the users PC/Mac is setup and their other end like Wi Fi/Firewall...most people assume that you can just install and go...any kind of software that connects through you Internet has to be set up right...same goes for local connections (USB)...if your phone is a mess, then it can be difficult to go between...and most people's phones are a mess...

I don't use it for much, but I do use it for the file sharing all the time. I used to have reliability problems with that feature, but updates to Link and Handset software has made it perfectly reliable for me at this point.

I had just the opposite experience. It used to work like a charm, especially the wifi file sharing/ remote access. Then, I updated it and it has not worked AT ALL since. Where do you go to get help trouble shooting it? No official support line @BlackBerry? I know, it's expensive to provide, but at least provide a meaningful, comprehensive trouble shooting guide, or FIX IT! End Rant.

I’ve said this, like, three times already, but I feel like we’re missing the point here.

Looking at the chart, it’s easy to see a pattern here. Q2 is historically BBRY’s biggest, sales-wise, and they generated a profit the last 2 Q2s in a row. The fact of the matter is, though, that sales are cyclical, and year over year sales are still down. This doesn’t bode well for BBRY. Their profits this quarter were primarily due to cost cutting, but a company can only cut costs for so long before they cease to exist. In the end, if BBRY can’t raise their year over year sales numbers, they’ll continue to die a slow death. Any measure they take, like the cost-cutting they did this quarter, will only be prolonging that process.

Disclosure: I’ve owned BBRY devices in the past, and would love nothing more than to see them succeed. Just trying to be a realist here.

Yeah, I'm not sure what this has to do with Link, but I'll bite anyway.

Yes, sales continue to trend down, though the losses are narrowing. BB10 devices FINALLY outsold BBOS devices last quarter. BB10 is a more appealing OS with an app catalog that is exploding if you count the upcoming Amazon apps.

You've used the Amazon store right? Not exactly exploding lol. Still missing all the Google apps and a lot of other good ones. The apps are not published by the actual vendor half the time, apps are filled with ads, pop ups and security risks and the Android runtime is still flakey even on the latest 10.3.

I hope it your pseudo-analysis impresses whoever it is you're trying to impress, but I can't for the life of me figure out what your ramblings have to do with BlackBerry Link? Did you write this so you could read it out loud to someone, attempting to show off?

You are totally off topic - but, I will throw my two bits in the pot. All products, and companies for that matter, have life cycles. BB is trying to find itself right now. Chen is doing great shoring up cash. Devices are. mist - the Z series are really nice devices and under appreciated be the market due to apps, but nothing can be done about that. My daughter, 20 and in college, is making the switch from years of iPhone madness to a Z30 as she is jealous of my z10 and wants to 1 up me.

I was going to install this, then I realized it still makes you restart your computer. Seeing as how this sounds like there is nothing worth updating it for, I'll just ignore it for a few weeks/months/years/decades until they actually make a not-so-POS version.

That's funny you say that. I am with the other guy, I never shut down either of my computers unless there is a major windows update or other urgent update. They normally get restarted once every 6 months or when the power goes out, lol

Domcos, others: what exactly isn't working with Remote file access? Are you seeing an error message? Have you followed the steps in the on-device video? Use Search to find "Video: Wi-Fi sync and remote file access with BlackBerry Link". At about 1:40 of the video, follow the instructions. 2 BB10 phones here (2 BBIDs), each with remote access to the same two computers anywhere, anytime AS LONG AS Link is running and each is not hibernated/asleep.

I wish they would just make it so that every time I plug my phone in to charge, the link window didn't open up into the foreground. It should just stay in the tray. If it wants to do a back up, pop up system tray notification.

Really irritating to be doing something full screen, and decide to plug my phone in and have Link get all pushy.

There is a setting in Link that tells it to open when you plug in your phone. I'm not near my computer now to tell you where it is, but I have that turned off. I launch Link when I double click the icon. I don't have it on my tray either.

I know I am opening myself up for a little flame fest, but I personally haven't had too many problems with the newer versions of link. I do miss how effective the old desktop manager was, but as a guy with a high tech background, I have often found that most software problems are a direct result of PEBKAC. (Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair). My 2 cents... that's all. ;-)

I don't have any issues with link, on windows 8.1 anyway. Doesn't auto open and doesn't have to be running to have wifi file sharing or anything. The back up and restore is pretty complete now, just needs a few extra add one to individual back ups and it would be solid. Updates are always welcome to help out those that do have issues though.

Link, how do I hate thee, let me count the ways. Wait, there's probably a character limit.

John Chen, please burn this lethargic, mildly-functioning mess and build something from scratch asap. You know, that works. I love BlackBerry but there's a special place in hell for this piece of s...oftware.

I don't know what most of you are talking about. I use BlackBerry link to backup my phone. I tried it a couple of times and it is perfect. I upgraded from a q5 to a q10 and all I had the do is click backup just like that. When I had my iphone 5s, I was backing up with iCloud, I had to pay extra money for all the memory I had AND it took forever.

Connection issues cone down to the driver - or potentially cable. I get the impression the micro USB on o e of my BlackBerry cables is getting dodgy...

In the case where the cable is fine and a connection is not established, the issue is generally the driver, NOT BlackBerry Link - not their desktop software before.

As to the speed of the backup: The way I understand it, the backup is handled on the phone - encrypted and decrypted on the phone, BlackBerry Link just acts as an interface - the speed limit comes from the phone, NOT link.

BlackBerry Link when i first got my Z10 and my new laptop together BlackBerry Link didn't work on windows8 but eventually microdick release 8.1 and it's fixed but still don't understand how microdick can take something good and totally fuck it up so much. Now back to Link great it's now working but won't recognise my Z10! Oh great DTM how we miss you!

I only ever use Link as a last resort. It is dreadful. The worst piece of software I have set eyes on for a long, long time. I thought Desktop Manager was bad enough but Link makes DM look like a work of genius. Why Blackberry foisted this pile of shit upon us god only knows. My Z10 acquired in Feb 2013 has been flawless and is a joy to use, whereas Link looks like it came from a different planet.

Great to read the comments here folks.
I used BlackBerry Link to install the 10.2 update a few months ago (during which it corrupted twice). I thought it was a very painfully slow and awkward bit of software. Blamed my PC.

Can you give me any suggestions on how to get my Q10's calendar synced with my PC version of Outlook? Unfortunately, I'm one of the ones who lost that capability upon upgrading to BB10, and like a few others here, I would love to be able to see my calendar on the desktop again. I've tried everything I could think of, but nothing has worked. It's quite useful when I'm working on the laptop and don't want to use the small screen.

I also don't understand all the hate 'round here. Of course LINK is far from being perfect (and I hope it will get some more features and bugfixes). But once you figured out how it works, it is quite a useful tool. I'm still a fan of offline synchronization with outlook (~620 contacts, ~2500 calendar events). I use it almost daily for this purpose. Also, I appreciate the automatic backup of my photos, when I enter my home wifi: they are just pushed to my hard disk without any effort.

The problem is that for a lot of people it just plain does not work. I've never had a backup complete successfully. I've used it with windows 7 windows 8, a Q10, Z10 and Z30 and not once has it completed a backup.

I'm no novice but even if I was the software should still be simple to install, know Joe to run and most importantly be actually able to complete the function it was designed for.

Do you really think everyone is complaining for no reason. When this many complain blackberry should address the problem. We are the early warning system, to ignore it is to shoot themselves in the foot. So I convince somebody to switch and then I start apologizing because things don't actually work.

BlackBerry Desktop Manager was so simple and basic, easy to handle, easy to sync my music, even from the same iTunes itself, so easy to transfer in both of the ways my files, to do my backups, to ensure my contacts... please, like the Boyz II men song, "Can somebody tell me how to get things back the way they used to be..."

I can't update link on my mac book pro because it needs newer software than snow leopard. Apple changed something so my "older" machine can't update to a newer OS. My slightly older Hp with W7 got the update, but continues to say there is a software update available.

Plain and simple BlackBerry Link sucks. I don't like iTunes but hate BlackBerry Link. Link is slow, can't get remote access to work, when it does always connect / disconnects. Worst piece of software on the face of the planet.

I'm with the folks who find Link to be a useful piece of software. I've never had issues like some people are mentioning here.

The contacts and calendar data all sync just fine with Outlook. Not one problem there.

My backups have all progressed fine and I've even ran a few restores from backup and they worked fine.

Mind you, I went straight from W7 to W8.1 so I didn't have to deal with the frustration during the period of time when the usb driver wasn't working for W8. For me, this falls into the category of not being the first one to adopt a new Windows OS.

I understand people are having issues but like one guy said, a lot of these issues are caused by what is located between the keyboard and the chair. For example, one unhappy fellow posted above that he didn't like the way Link starts up as soon as he plugs his phone in via usb. Jeez, I thought the check box to "start Link when the phone is connected" was quite easy to uncheck. Maybe most people want Link to just start sync'ing as soon as the phone is plugged in. If you don't want this feature, you can uncheck that option. Or you can complain about it in forums like this.

I do like the suggestion to allow selective backups and restores... maybe that's now included in this new version?

I would like to know why this warning popped up. When I go to my Link software and check for updates it says I have the latest, but this post says there is a new update, and I downloaded it from what I thought was Blackberry's official sight, and after trying to install the new update the above warning popped up. Hopefully my AVG caught a potential heartbleed.

I'm using Win7 Pro x64 on my laptop and the BlackBerry Link auto software update has never worked for me. The only way I'm able to get the latest version is by downloading the complete app and installing it.
Has anyone else had this problem?

My Remote File Access was working fine on the previous version of link. I updated link and now RFA isn't working... what an update BlackBerry, what a great improvement.
I guess the people at BlackBerry have the definition of things like update, upgrade, progress, improvement and new, backwards.
Thus, I expect, in the next update our windows os will be toast, our hard disks formatted and filled with bad sectors, our BlackBerry device wiped and bricked, and the house will be set on fire by the exploding pc and BlackBerry device... now that's an update!!!

I am so upset. Either blackberry is messing up, or microsoft is breaking it as soon as it comes out. - I don't know how to cope with this. I have a contract with verizon, and if I stop using this phone, I will have to 500$ for their retail value.

The new update won't mount the drives on my z30 and while phone shows up in BlackBerry Link it does not allow me to see pictures, videos etc... I reverted back to previous software and works fine. Laptop is windows 8.1 pro and high spec

Version 1.2.3.48 didn't even have a "check for updates" option, at least not anywhere in the software that I was able to find it. Glad there was a link on this article. So far the latest update is not distinguishable from the previous version.

Wow. People sure do love to hate Link! Me included I should say, at least up to about a week ago, when I downloaded the latest update.

I'm not sure I should judge so soon, but in all honesty, following this update, any issues I may be having with my my BB, wi-fi, or networking with my Mac, have not been due to Link. It has been working flawlessly. Right down to actually letting me know there is a connection when my handset is not using wi-fi. We all know that this feature often did work in prior versions of Link. But, we also all know that even when there was a connection, Link would show the phone as disconnected. I'm finding the fact that I can now *see* the connection over the mobile network to my Mac as salutary--almost symbolises the fact that finally, BlackBerry has decided or managed to bring Link up to a standard which at least makes it seem that the software was put together by someone competent.

I half expect something to go wrong soon though. What can I say? Once bitten...And we all have been bitten at least 100 times by Link in the past....

Something still still dumb about Link (though it doesn't affect how it works): on the 'Remote File Access' screen, the small print under the box containing the BB10 devices that have been enabled to work with the software: 'remote file access is not supported by the software installed on your device. Update to BlackBerry 10 OS 10.0.0.1 or higher to use the remote file access feature.'

Could there be any statement more DUMB to have written in the software? Apart from something outright insane.

It goes without saying that the software on my device has met the criteria demanded by that statement since I upgraded to iterations from 10.0.0.1 and higher, many months ago. Remote file access does work. [Usually.] Confidence in Link isn't helped by an out of date guidance note which is obviously a legacy of earlier versions of BB10 that the devs have neglected to change.

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